Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-03-30
IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
"iadstone Resumes the Debate ON the
Irlsh Criminal Amendment BiIl-His
speech Widely Commented Upon AZ
showing the Governments Weakness.
LONDON. March 90

LONDON, March 20.
gladstone resumed tine debate in the House
OF commons this afternoon, on the Irish
criminal amendment bill, He was Loudly
cheered when he arose. He said that in ar
issue so grave, proposals so extreme as those
now put forth by the government, REQUIRED
ample time for consideration. He found
himseir bound to support Parnelrs amend.
ment because the ground upon which Balfour
oased the governments case was absolutely
ihsumclent and unsatisfactory. The govern.
ments bill. instead of being a cure for rbe
irish ills or even palliative. was measure
mat would aggrasate the deepest, sealed and
worst disorders. 'With this coercion hill y
exclaimed Gladstone, ''the prospect of con-
clilatlon Vanishes into thin air"
Inc government intends to exclude the land
Dill which was the chief recommendation of
'he commission, which has just completed an
exhaustive investigation of the Irish troubles.
Nothing remains but the figure of coercion.
pare, bold and gaupt, alas, only too familiar.
Inc chief secretary for Ireland has attempted
10 excuse the proposals on the ground that
crime in Ireland during the last three wears
mas increased, but has followed an unusual
course in refrain!ng from giving the House
omclai information proving his allegations.
Inc statistics of crime in Ireland were against
the government. 1t was the first time he
Gladstone knew of the anonymous assertion
being imposed on Parliament in support of
the demand for legislation. TCheers ! Here
ne referred in detail to the cases adduced by
Balfour OF the league tyranny over persons
Contlnulng, he said tn at boycotting was bad
enough, but 1t was not confined to National
lists. He knew Of a Protestant clergyman
who has been deprived of his living because
he hOmQ rulor Ill,
been made to previous liberal coercion pro
posals. Ia 1881, when his government pro
posed coercion, the ground was the agitation
then existing. Wherever he went he was
dogged by crime. For the present bill there
was no such excuse. Demand was made up.
on the House to commit the most formidable
preach OF trust that the popular assembly
could perpetrate, to relax the conditions upon
which alone Parliament should sanction the
change in the criminal law in order that the
law might fall with increased stringency upon
that particular portion of the Queens sub
Jects. The opposition would insist upon hav.
lng the fullest opportunity to to examine the
provisions of the bill. Every Irish and every
English member should have the fullest
scope tor presenting his views Tcheers1 and
for sitting and scrutnizing the proposals of
the government. Among the most insulting
and exasperating proposals, the worst ever
submitted to Parliament, was the provision
that the Irish trials be held in London The
lesson OF many years showed that force was
no remedy. Since the election of 1885, since
the bulk of the liberals had judged that it
was both right and safe to grant home rule,
Ireland had been free from crime and out
rage, condition long unknown. Why was
this9 1t was because the Irish people knew
that large, though insufficiently large body
OF liberals had adopted their interests and
would abide by them to the last 1Cheers.
If the liberals acceded to the appeal of the
government the result would be a retrogres-
sion. The Irish people would return to the
state of things which the liberal efforts had
already partly remeded. So long as Ireland
continued in the present course of modera-
ton, so long would the liberals be bound to
persevere in their efforts to assist her.
Gladstone's speech is widely commented
upon as an effective exposure of the feeble
ness of the government's s reasons for demand
ing coercion. The strength of his reasoning
is admitted by the conservatives, and is felt
keenly by the unionist liberals, more of
whom threaten to secede unless the coercion
bill be reduced to simple provisions against
boycotting and plan of campaign. The con-
servatives already talk of dropping the pro-
posals relating to the transfer of jury trials,
especially since the unonist papers in the
provinces declare them to be untenable.
The Gladstonians are confident that they
can delay the passage of the bill till May,
and in the meanwhile are hopeful that an
evolution of events will foil he whole
scheme.